Man charged with killing hospital guard

SPRINGFIELD — A Springfield man has been charged with murdering a hospital security guard by kicking him in the head last month.

Jeffrey Bolden, 41, was charged Tuesday with second-degree murder and felony murder in the death of 62-year-old Monte Ruby. Bolden also is charged with assault on a law enforcement officer, a charge filed shortly after Ruby was injured when he tried to restrain Bolden at Cox North Hospital on Aug. 2. Ruby died four days later.

Ruby's death was ruled a homicide more than a month ago, but prosecutors waited to file murder charges against Bolden until they received a toxicology report.

Earlier on the day Ruby was injured, officers went to Bolden's father's home after receiving a report of an assault and attempted arson there, according to court documents.

Police said Bolden assaulted his father, broke several windows and poured gasoline in the house and on himself.

After he couldn't ignite the fuel, Bolden ran from a police dog and was taken to the hospital, where he was strapped to a bed, after the dog bit him, police said.

Bolden has a long criminal history, including felony charges of stabbing his cousin in July, assaulting his girlfriend with a telephone and a barbecue fork in January, and an attack on another woman last year.

Bolden is scheduled for a preliminary hearing in Greene County on Friday on 11 felony charges arising from all of the incidents.

Although Bolden is charged with two counts of murder, he can be convicted of only one, said Assistant Greene County Prosecutor Todd Myers.

If the case goes to trial, jurors could convict Bolden of either second-degree murder or felony murder and assault on a law enforcement officer, Myers said. Prosecutors also could choose to present just one of the two options at trial.